Intention: Partner will be fined by NIS 414,600 on suspicion of misleading consumers
Posted on Jun 7, 2021 by Ifi Reporter
The Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority announced today (Monday) to Partner that it intends to fine it NIS 414,600, on suspicion of misleading consumers. The PA investigation began following complaints from consumers that Partner had offered them free products as part of a package upgrade, but eventually charged them a fee.
The company's representatives offered consumers products such as speakers, a car camera and a tablet, while presenting a presentation according to which the cost of the package includes the cost of the product. After making the transaction, consumers received separate billing invoices for cellular package costs and for product cost. This is one of the oldest sales methods of the cellular companies, and through it they sometimes spend thousands of shekels from customers.
"Creating a presentation according to which the receipt of the product is included in the cost of the package, constitutes an unfair effect and is contrary to the section of the Consumer Protection Law that prohibits the supply of paid goods to the consumer, without the consumer requesting it," the authority says.
According to the authority, a Partner representative told the customer in several cases that the cost of the product is on a monthly basis, for 36 months. In practice, the company hid from the consumer that a lower amount could be paid for the product, in case the customer chooses to pay for it in cash or spread the payments over 12 months.
The notice of the Consumer Protection Authority was sent to Partner CEO Avi Zvi. The company has the right to request a hearing, both for the purpose of deliberately imposing the fine on it and for the purpose of discussing the amount determined by the authority, within 45 days. That the company is fined by the Consumer Protection Authority for misleading consumers.
Anita Yitzhak, the deputy head of the authority and head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division, said: "The communications sector is at the center of the authority's activity. received".
The authority's notice to Partner was given two weeks after it informed Pelephone of its intention to fine it NIS 584,000, for misleading consumers and exerting an unfair influence in the marketing process.
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